The conditional - Easy Learning Grammar German

What is the conditional?The conditional is a verb form used to talk about things that would happen or that would be true under certain conditions, for example, I would help you if I could. It is also used to say what you would like or need, for example, Could you give me the bill?

1Using the conditional

You can often recognize a conditional in English by the word would or its shortened form ‘d.

I would be sad if you left.If you asked him, he’d help you.

In German, the conditional is also used to express would.

Ich würde dir schon helfen, ich habe aber keine Zeit.

I would help you, but I don’t have the time.

Was würden Sie an meiner Stelle tun?

What would you do in my position?

2Forming the conditional

The conditional has TWO parts to it and is formed in the same way for all verbs, be they weak, strong or mixed:

the würde form or subjunctive of the verb werden (meaning to become)

the infinitive of the main verb, which normally goes at the end of the clause.

Pronoun

Subjunctive of werden

Infinitive of Main Verb

Meanings

ich

würde

holen

I would fetch

du

würdest

holen

you would fetch

ersiees

würde

holen

he/she/it would fetch

wir

würden

holen

we would fetch

ihr

würdet

holen

you (plural) would fetch

sie

Sie

würden

holen

they would fetch

you (polite) would fetch

Das würde ich nie machen.

I would never do that.

Würdest du mir etwas Geld leihen?

Would you lend me some money?

Würden Sie jemals mit dem Rauchenaufhören?

Would you ever stop smoking?

Note that you have to be careful not to mix up the present tense of werden, used to form the future tense, and the subjunctive of werden, used to form the conditional. They look similar.

FUTURE USE

CONDITIONAL USE

ich werde

ich würde

du wirst

du würdest

er/sie/es wird

er/sie/es würde

wir werden

wir würden

ihr werdet

ihr würdet

sie/Sie werden

sie/Sie würden

Key points

The conditional tense is formed from the subjunctive or würde part of werden and the infinitive of the main verb.